Seacoast plays role in green building movement

PORTSMOUTH — Green structures are on the rise, from energy efficient renovations to LEED-certified new homes, and the proof is right here on the Seacoast.

SARAH MAE BROWN

PORTSMOUTH — Green structures are on the rise, from energy efficient renovations to LEED-certified new homes, and the proof is right here on the Seacoast.

For those concerned with global climate change, greener structures are an important piece of the solution puzzle. Buildings are the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., and experts agree that structures must be designed to use and waste less energy, an approach that has environmental and financial benefits.

Chris Redmond of Little Green Homes in Portsmouth is at the forefront of the greener buildings movement. He started his company after years of designing efficient, quality structures and then struggling with builders unable or unwilling to implement his sustainable designs.

"I thought, 'Why not efficient design and construction in one company so that we can bring to life these beautiful, but smaller homes at affordable prices?'" said Redmond.

His company is currently constructing a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design "platinum" single-family residence on Lawrence Street in Portsmouth. This home will be the first owner-financed "platinum" LEED house in New Hampshire, and only the 28th in the nation.

It will be a net-zero building, meaning that it will generate all of its energy from sustainable sources. Solar panels will power the electric as well as provide domestic hot water and heat through radiant floor heating.

"Right from the start, Chris at LGH knew what we wanted," said homeowner Marc Batchelder. "It's great that green building is so popular now.

"Let's face it, in construction and renovations, if you can't build an efficient home, your dead in the water. Little Green Homes demonstrated that they really knew their stuff. They consistently improved our home and made it more sustainable in ways that I hadn't even considered."

Shane Carter from Ridgeview Construction said he has always built green.

"Every home we build, we have always built as efficiently as possible," Carter said. "In the past we had to convince folks that this was the right way, the quality way to do things, but now the financial benefits and durability of a sustainably constructed home are so obvious that we don't need to do much convincing."

Carter's company is building an energy-efficient home on McIntyre Road in Newington. Although it is 2,100 square feet, it will use substantially less energy than homes much larger.

"We can turn any home into a green home," Carter said. "When someone comes to us with a project, we lay out the numbers — what will be saved in energy costs and the quality of the materials.

"Once these facts are on table and the client is educated they understand there is no point in building a house that doesn't have these features."

The McIntyre Road home will be heated with a geothermal system — not something the clients were initially interested in until they saw its efficiency and cost effectiveness over time. Carter said there are very few green building techniques, materials or designs that are not competitive over time.

Quality spray foam or cellulose insulation, low-e or argon windows, low or zero-volatile organic compounds paints, intelligent orientation of the home to benefit from passive solar gain, Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, timber-framing, low-flow toilets, shower-heads and faucets, wood-pellet stoves, radiant floor heating, low-voltage lighting, bamboo flooring, local pine ceilings, railings and deck systems from recycled composite materials — these are just some of the sustainable features of the Ridgeview home in Newington.

"For this house we used the Energy Star Program, which provides a third-party verification of all the green techniques we are implementing," said Carter. "Everything in this home, from the engineering and performance of the geothermal and lighting to the installation of the windows and insulation to a full blower-door test which measures the tightness of the home, has been inspected.

"It's not rocket science to make a durable, efficient and beautiful home, but it does take commitment to these techniques and a willingness to educate the client," he said.

Both Ridgeview Construction and Little Green Homes are members of the Green Alliance, a new green business union on the Seacoast. By joining the Green Alliance, both companies have agreed to undergo an extensive sustainability evaluation that looks at both product and practice.

Redmond and Carter say they have no problem opening up their businesses to scrutiny.

"I'm pleased there is a way for the consumer to verify that we are as green and knowledgeable about sustainable building as we claim," said Redmond. "The Green Alliance is going to give us that stamp of green approval."

Studies now show that LEED certified and Energy Star rated homes have a competitive advantage over non-green buildings. One of the strongest indicators of the strength of green building is participation in the LEED and Energy Star programs.

LEED has experienced an unprecedented jump in certified structures with over 2,000 projects certified in 2008, a doubling of last year's certifications. Another 15,500 buildings are awaiting certification.

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